Android: Unable to connect Pandora in various vehicles after 2208.1

[TannerPandora]

Pandora Update: 10/6/22

I'd like to again thank everyone for posting their trouble with connecting Android devices to Pandora in the car. We understand how frustrating this experience can be and wanted you to know that we're working hard to resolve this issue.

If you're new to this thread and experience an issue connecting to Pandora with your Android, feel free to post. Your information will be passed along to our engineering ticket.

Updates will continue to be posted in this thread as they are given to the Community Team.

In the meantime, these steps may help to connect to your vehicle:

• First, make sure your phone is not connected to your vehicle via Bluetooth.
• Then, launch Pandora on your phone before starting you car.
• Once Pandora is playing, then connect to your vehicle via Bluetooth.

Thank you all for your continued patience.

Use your mobile device only when conditions allow and as permitted by applicable law.

---

Pandora Update: 9/20/22

Hi everyone! Thanks for posting your experience to community.

Since many of you are having trouble on various Android phones and in different vehicles I've gone ahead and merged all related posts into one thread to help stay organized with updates and information.

If you're new to this thread, please note that this is for Android users who are unable to connect to Pandora in their vehicle or in-vehicle device with version 2208.1 or later.

An internal ticket has been created and our engineering teams are investigating. Updates will be made in this thread as they are made available to us.

We appreciate your continued patience while we look into this.

Use your mobile device only when conditions allow and as permitted by applicable law.

[billyga]

RJF51, that begs the question why my Samsung S9+ running Android 10 will not connect no matter what Pandora software version I install? Both my phone and my Pioneer unit are 4 years old.

[barnesmjsa]

I updated to 2210.1 yesterday, 10/22/22.

Still not working. 

2016 Subaru Forester, factory head unit.

Samsung S10, receives all updates. 

Pandora, where can I find an older APK installer that predates this problem?

I'm on premium specifically to use Pandora in my car. Only been a couple months and its broken!

Moderator Edit: Merged posts

[barnesmjsa]

Pandora, where can I find an older APK installer that predates this problem?

I'm on premium specifically to use Pandora in my car. Only been a couple months and its broken!

Moderator Edit: Merged posts

[SAS18 · Accepted solution]

This one worked for me and several others who have posted on this thread.  I cannot vouch for the safety of the site, but so far no one has had any problems stemming from downloads from this site.  You need to uninstall the current version, download and install this version and make sure to turn off auto updates for Pandora in the Play Store.

https://apkcombo.com/pandora/com.pandora.android/download/phone-2203.1-apk 

Good luck!

[Tinfish]

Just noticed this issue with our 2015 Subaru crosstrek and our LG G7 and LG V60. The pandora icon tells us to make sure Pandora app is intalled correctly. It used to work on older versions of Pandora, but has stopped working within the last 2 updates. We have no problems using Bluetooth to play Pandora, but the icon in the car does not work!

Moderator Edit: Format

[WadeCollins]

Pandora has worked in my vehicle for over 8 years now it doesn't. Message on my Silverado infotainment screen says no Bluetooth or internet connection when I try to connect to Pandora. I can make and receive phone calls but not Pandora. I tried what you recommended to correct the issue but still won't connect. Either fix the problem or get rid of it all together. 

[Firepiper]

Ok, I guess its time for me to jump in as well.  My 2018 Yamaha Star Voyager Transcontinental will not connect to Pandora app as it has for the last 4 years. This is the 1st motorcycle I have seen listed in this thread. Talk about dangerous,  try switching stations, thumbs uping songs, or doing anything else on a phone while riding a motorcycle.  Its ridiculous! 

[billyga]

It's time for a Pandora rep to give a heads up on what they are planning to do with this issue and how much longer this will persist. This just ain't right. 

[dabruns]

Okay, this is what I propose we all do. On Monday, October 31st 2022, on that very day, we all cancel our subscriptions!
Now mind you, even if you have been willing to put up with this wide spread and well-established service issue (lack of service really), you should join in on this.
After several days, if you find yourself truly missing their service, you can very easily re-subscribe once again. Or maybe you could use that time to try out some of the many other streaming services out there.
At any rate, this should finally get their attention. Don't you think so?
I’m committing to do this myself. I have had quite enough.

[dabruns]

Okay, this is what I propose we all do. On Monday, October 31st 2022, on that very day, we all cancel our subscriptions!
Now mind you, even if you have been willing to put up with this wide spread and well-established service issue (lack of service really), you should join in on this.
After several days, if you find yourself truly missing their service, you can very easily re-subscribe once again. Or maybe you could use that time to try out some of the many other streaming services out there.
At any rate, this should finally get their attention. Don't you think so?
I’m committing to do this myself. I have had quite enough.

[dabruns]

Okay, this is what I propose we all do. On Monday, October 31st 2022, on that very day, we all cancel our subscriptions!
Now mind you, even if you have been willing to put up with this wide spread and well-established service issue (lack of service really), you should join in on this.
After several days, if you find yourself truly missing their service, you can very easily re-subscribe once again. Or maybe you could use that time to try out some of the many other streaming services out there.
At any rate, this should finally get their attention. Don't you think so?
I’m committing to do this myself. I have had quite enough.

[Mrprovy]

I broke down this morning and finally uninstalled Pandora through the play store.

Downloaded v. 2203.1 from the above link on this page and installed it; I now have Pandora in my truck again and I dialed automatic updates.

[Garbage]

2016 Mazda 3 Hatch

Samsung S20+ 5g

Adding to the list, no fix yet. No update from pandora staff in 20 days. Their suggestions didn't work. Going to install an older version and avoid it all.

[Cwert]

2023 Subaru Crosstrek and Samsung Galaxy 22. It was working at first but now nothing I do works - Bluetooth or cable. Same message pops up "Pandora is currently unavailable. Please confirm that a device is paired and the Pandora app is installed on the device." I can still play via media with limited functionality but not through the app. 

[arreaux]

Did an update to Pandora and now it will not automatically launch Pandora on my phone in my two vehicles with Alpine units, INE-W987HD and CDE-HD149BT. Used to work great until the update.

Phone is a Samsung S20 FE.

Very frustrating!

[jmcnaughton]

I have a 2014 Honda Accord LX, a Samsung AOS phone and Pandora version 2210.1. I am no longer able to play Pandora on the Honda Pandora dashboard screen. The sound does come through on the Bluetooth screen, but I can't change channels from the dash on that screen. Also I notice that the Pandora accessory mode no longer comes on through the car. I have tried installing and uninstalling the Pandora app as well as reinstalling the Bluetooth in the car, but still no luck. Is there a fix for this? Thanks.

[RJF51]

I've got to believe that there are three interacting systems here: 1) Android operating system which is now up to version 13; 2) Pandora app on your phone which is updated quite frequently (currently 2210.1); 3) Pandora app on the headunit which is rarely if ever updated. The fact that some people can downgrade to 2203.1 and get Pandora to work while others (including me) cannot do so suggests the app on the headunit must play some role. I'm assuming that the app on headunit varies from one car manufacturer to the next and one year to the next and this compounds the difficulty of getting to all play nicely with each other.

I'm pessimistic that Pandora will solve this problem. It's not in their financial interest to do so. I'm sure that the community experiencing these problems are a small fraction of Pandora's customer base - there's no money in solving this problem. I'm not suggesting that they're not working on it but they've probably assigned one or two engineers with explicit instructions to not spend more than 1 - 2 hr per week on the problem. They would need to get lucky to solve this problem, especially given the large number of variables involved.

At this point I see three options: 1) downgrade Pandora and hope that solves the problem; 2) live with Bluetooth only to the headunit; 3) find another audio streaming service.

I'm still debating what to do.

[billyga]

You've touched on a couple of issues that relate to my situation. One, I own a 4-year-old Pioneer unit that will not connect even with older versions of Pandora. I contend there is a limited shelf life to the utilities included on those units as a means to drive sales of new head units when the utilities begin to fail. There has only been one firmware update on it and that was to fix an iPod issue so there is little to no support from Pioneer after the sale. The unit also no longer connects to Spotify. 

You also mentioned a financial incentive for not updating and repairing the Pandora app. SiriusXM purchased Pandora a couple of years ago and so possibly to push new subscriptions to the failing Sirius service, they've removed some of the features of the Pandora app? I declined to renew my annual subscription to Sirius last year because the Pandora app offered me so much more for less price. I'll be dammed if I return to Sirius because I just don't drive that much these days. I'll use the Bluetooth feature and be happy. 

Perhaps TannerPandora can reach out to the staff at Pandora for an official statement as to what is in the future for this app. This issue should have been fixed weeks ago if they intend to fix it at all.

[Waterdragon6x10]

I can connect to Pandora with no problem on android 12..  But when I try to play it over my radio it won't play.. But it will play on my phone. I can play spotify on my phone and it plays over my radio at the same time with no problem.. Pandora does not play on the car radion the car radio just on the phone phone even though I connected Bluetooth to my radio

 Thank you for your help in this matter

[SAS18]

I would say that your analysis is mostly spot on regarding the three independent variables: the Android OS, Pandora phone app and Pandora head unit app.  As you said, the head unit app vaires from manufacturer to manufacturer but is rarely updated.  That said, the head unit app on a Pioneer head unit today is probably not the same as the one on a head unit manufactured several years ago.  So we have additional head unit variations beyond just the manufacturer.  The phone app changes frequently, but that is the one variable that users can manually control.  Android also changes frequently, and like the head unit app, Android on one device is not the same as on another device.  So assuming that your Pandora phone app was working with your head unit, where do you look to find what broke it?  If you are lucky, like me, the only problem is the Pandora phone app.  I installed an old version and everything works fine now.  But if a new Android update breaks it, I'll just be out of luck.  I suspect that is what is happening to those folks who cannot restore funcionality by installing an old version of the Pandora phone app.  I suspect that the old version of the phone app is not compatible with the current version of their phone's Android OS.

Some of us are also fortunate in that our head units support Android Auto.  It does require me to plug in my phone, but for long trips I tend to use it to also access Google Maps or Waze while listening to Pandora.

[billyga]

Given that I was able to use an older version of Pandora a couple of years ago when this same thing happened, it's safe to assume that now, my Pioneer unit may no longer support Pandora most likely because of a built-in life to the utility. I've said it before in other posts, approximately 2 weeks before this, my Pandora was having problems connecting and I would have to delete my Pioneer from my phone's Bluetooth, then pair them and then I was good for the day. Next day, same thing and then, at a point I could no longer connect them and as I've stated ad nauseum, older Pandora versions will not work, now.  BTW, my Samsung Galaxy S9+ is now 4 years old running Android V10. I understand it will not receive any further support from Samsung and that V13 is now current. Honestly, I think my problem is twofold, expired Pandora utility on my Pioneer and Pandora is not fixing the general connectivity issue with their software updates as evidenced by so many others who cannot run the updated version and make the connection. The newest Pandora update claims to work with Android V10.

I wish some other Pioneer users would chime in and state the age of their units and the status of their efforts to connect. And again, what say you, Pandora support??????????????????????